Divorce has become much more common in the last few decades, and divorce courts are more accustomed to dealing with the consequences of the ends of marriages. No one feels the effect of parents divorcing more than the children of the couple, and many laws govern how parents are expected to care for them.
Florida recognizes the concept of good fortune child support, which is an allowance for considering the excessive wealth or income of a parent. Even if a parent can easily cover the financial necessities of his or her child, the court can require a higher level of support to reflect the available assets.
This is especially important for divorcing parents in high-income professions or careers, including sports and entertainment. A major league baseball player is currently the defendant in a Florida lawsuit filed by a woman who alleges he is the father of her child and owes $100,000 per month in child support.
The case was complicated by allegations by the plaintiff that the baseball player is more involved in the lives of his other children than his child with her. However, legal observers of the case say that the quality of the child’s parenting is a personal matter and not one to be decided in court.
“As long as he pays child support, there is nothing that he is legally required to do. He doesn’t have to call them. He doesn’t have to see them. The only thing he is required to do is pay,” said a professor of family law.
A parent who wants a former spouse to pay good fortune child support may consider a lawsuit to compel that level of financial commitment. A lawyer may be able to help assemble a case and forward it in court.